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Original poster

Would you change schools in this situation?

18 replies

hariborabbit · 19/01/2022 09:20

Moved house over the summer so DD (year 2) needed to switch schools. In our new area there were no places at our closest school but we were offered a place at a school on the edge of our closest town.

DD has settled in well, loves her school and teacher and has made friends. School recently got a good ofsted rating with excellent feedback from parents. However, it is a 12 minute drive away, journey is more like 20 minutes each way once we've faffed about getting in and out of the car at both ends. No problems with parking though!

Got an email from the council yesterday to say closest school now has a place available. However, from talking to people in the village, the closest school does seem to be going through a rough patch. The previous head was not popular and it has caused all sorts of issues with staffing, behaviour is apparently not good etc. However, it is a ten minute walk away which would be nice...

What would you do in this situation? I'm leaning towards moving her as I just can't help feeling it is better to be at a closer school for primary. DH thinks I'm mad and she's settled at a good school, the drive is manageable (he does half the drop offs/pick ups) and the closer school is still an unknown quantity but we have no reason to think it's in any way "better".

For context they both feed into the same secondaries, there are a handful of kids at DD's current school from our village - including one other in her class - although not loads.

Also, closest school just got a new head this term (previous one left under a cloud I think) so it's possible she could make some good changes but obviously no way of knowing yet!

OP posts:

BitcherOfBlakiven · 19/01/2022 09:21

Nah, leave her where she’s already happy.

PatterPaws · 19/01/2022 09:23

Absolutely leave her. I used to drive my DCs to school at this age. Took 30 - 35 minutes once in the car. Your drive seems a doddle.

middleager · 19/01/2022 09:23

My two main considerations for school are proximity and happiness. I finally learnt that after 13 years of school!

As this is one vs the other, I would go with happy and keep her where she is, especially as she's already moved once.

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INeedNewShoes · 19/01/2022 09:25

Having experienced my child struggling with school I would be very reluctant to move a happy child who has settled in well. DD had a rocky term last term and it affected her overall happiness and her worry about school on Monday pervaded our weekends as well.

Will your DD's current school feed into the right secondary schools for where you're living? That would be the only thing that might make me consider moving her - if by her staying at this primary she'll also end up wanting to go to a further away secondary to stay with her friends.

Otherwise if you're happy that her current school are doing a good job of teaching both academically and nurturing other skills and your DD is happy there I'd count your lucky stars and leave her be!

TeddyTonks · 19/01/2022 09:26

Leave her where she is. Our DS was in a school ten minutes walk away but not happy. We've moved him to one that's a 12 minute drive and he is so much happier, more engaged, making better progress ... absolutely worth the trade off of the drive and no regrets at all!

Hoppinggreen · 19/01/2022 09:29

No, leave her there. She’s already changed school once and if she’s settled and happy don’t mess with that.
If the school was a long way or the nearer one was better I might consider it but as that’s not the case just leave her

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 19/01/2022 09:30

Please don't move a happy child.

As a bonus I found the car on the way home a great time to chat with DC-a little bit of time in a busy day where it is just you-found they often opened up and confided things that might have gotten missed in hectic family life

DownWhichOfLate · 19/01/2022 09:33

Please leave her at her current school. Yes, it’s hassle, but she is happy which is so important.

3WildOnes · 19/01/2022 09:33

I would never move a happy child. We did a longer journey than that with ours for a while. Quite a few children at the prep have longer journey s too.

Shapiro · 19/01/2022 09:36

If you moved school again and friendships didn’t come easy then she will suffer emotionally and academically.

It sounds like she is thriving at her current school so I absolutely would not move her.

Original poster

hariborabbit · 19/01/2022 09:36

Ah thanks for all the feedback. I actually thought you'd all say move her! What you're saying makes sense, she is happy there and it would be dreadful if we moved her and found she wasn't happy at the new school.

To PP who asked, about 60-70% of kids at her current school go to our catchment secondary, so no issues there. Also once she gets to that age there is a school bus

OP posts:

HamCob · 19/01/2022 09:38

No brainier. Leave her be.
I moved my happy DS to a school closer to home. Drive to the old school was similar to yours.
We've had issues with bullying at his new school and I don't feel that he has established any real friendships. He often says he misses his old friends.
I feel very guilty for moving him.

Tal45 · 19/01/2022 10:05

@HamCob

No brainier. Leave her be. I moved my happy DS to a school closer to home. Drive to the old school was similar to yours. We've had issues with bullying at his new school and I don't feel that he has established any real friendships. He often says he misses his old friends. I feel very guilty for moving him.

That's so sad - can you move him back?

OP don't move her, she happy and - as nice as it would be to walk to school - that's the most important thing.

Original poster

hariborabbit · 19/01/2022 10:42

Sorry to hear that @hamcob

OP posts:

Sprig1 · 19/01/2022 10:51

Why would you move her from a good school that she is happy at to a school that you know has issues? You will only be saving a few minutes of your day. Don't do it,

Original poster

hariborabbit · 19/01/2022 17:28

I guess I just felt that everyone seems to really prioritise location when it comes to primary schools! However I can see on balance that the current primary school wins on basically every other aspect.

OP posts:

Comedycook · 19/01/2022 17:32

I'd leave her unless you have younger children who will be going to primary school soon? As that will mean they will probably need to go to same school and if it's her current one, you will be doing that journey for a decade potentially.

RestingStitchFace · 19/01/2022 17:55

Leave her where she is, she's happy and settled in a well-respected school. That's hitting the jackpot, surely?!

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